Monday, February 7, 2011

In my post from last week I wrote about love, and how I am a hopeless romantic and thought since this is the week of the giveaway - and it's valentines day... maybe this week will be about love?

I have had the honour of being present for so many "genuine moments". And right now your thinking, well - isn't everything a genuine moment? Okay, well yes but I mean that true love moment that you witness and you realize that is passion. I have had the pleasure to photograph these moments (making sure I had a quick trigger finger!). I was laying in bed last night after I posted about the giveaway, racking my brains on what to write about this week and showcase as far as photography goes and BOOM - it hit me. I have to write about passion & show passion. It's that moment that's unplanned and just happens. You can tell the couple just erupts with that "spark" that something all of us crave for in our relationships. It's something else when you get to witness it as a photographer. On some occasions it's hard to shake off the tear-jerk reaction.

I am a Christian, and I really feel this has had a huge role on how I learned about love. But last summer faith and love really, I guess clicked. I photographed Lori & Josh's Wedding in Lytton, BC last August and was lucky enough to attend their adult baptism a day prior to their wedding. They were baptised in the Fraser River near the town of Lytton. I had never been to an adult baptism and had no idea that people would get baptised in real life rivers and not in a church. I didn't think I was actually going to be so moved as I was, at their baptism. I remember hearing Lori talk about her faith journey and how she learned faith and love; and how that made her relationship with Josh so much stronger. Josh spoke of the same, and how they both made their journey together. They spoke lyrics to songs that moved them and how they felt paid tribute to their faith journey. And then along with the pastor they walked into the Fraser and were submersed each by their mothers.

Now here's the part that really got me, when they came back up from the water - I remember vividly the cheer of happiness Lori & Josh. Seriously, it was the loudest "yeaaaah" I've ever heard. And then, it happened --- Lori jumped into Josh's arms in the water and they had the most romantic kiss and fell backwards into the water. I don't know why, but witness' their just spark after all that, was just so amazing. I felt honoured to get a glimpse of how passionate they were about each other and their faith.

They had their whole family on the beach for their baptism, singing, playing guitar - showing support. It was so profound. Below are some images from last August.

In the spirit of Valentines Day, and the giveaway I thought It'd share this genuine moment.

The photo above is of Lori & Josh walking the Mundall property on the way to the beach.

This was it, the moment they embraced right before falling back into the water.

Lori giving her father a massive hug after coming out of the river.

{ Giveaway -- Day 1}

Make sure you leave a comment to be entered into the draw to win a photo-session and a little something from Tiffany & Co.! Remember, if you tell your friends and they comment with your name - your names will both be entered in the draw again to increase your odds of winning! Thanks everyone for spreading the love.